CNN: Freight rail companies join safety reporting system as melted equipment in Ohio disaster spurs federal advisory

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As federal investigators probe further into the February 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) advised major freight rail companies to take immediate safety measures to check for any malfunctioning safety valves which was the cause of the Ohio derailment. The advisory comes as all seven major freight rail companies in the US, including Norfolk Southern (the rail company responsible for the Ohio 3 derailment), announced their participation in a voluntary safety reporting program. As the cleanup continues, maintenance workers have criticized Norfolk Southen for putting workers at risk by not providing personal protective equipment as the chemical smell still lingers in East Palestine. The derailment in Ohio has put rail safety under the spotlight and many questions have been raised surrounding the regulations around the transportation of hazardous materials causing a bipartisan group of senators to introduce a new bill aimed at bolstering rail safety. To read more about what federal action is being taken in wake of the Ohio derailment, click here.

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